Circuit-controlling device.



J-, B. WOODBEIDGE.

GIROUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY20,1910.

, 1,01 1,546. Patented Bea 12,1911.

Witnesses: j /n Ventor 9 W Jonathan [Wqoabr/c/qe, 641 by 1%;

His Attorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JONATHAN E. WOODBRIDGE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN E. WOOD- mnoen, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented cert ain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Controlling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for controlling electric circuits, particularly electric circuits of dangerous potential in which two devices, such as a circuit breaker and a switch connected in series, are arranged to be operated in predetermined relation to each Other and are provided with an alarm devices to show when the circuit is opened automatically.

- In railway work practically all the direct current circuit breakers for the generators, converters, and feeders are equipped with auxiliary switches which close an alarm cir cuit to notify the station attendant when any of the circuit breakers opens automatically. These auxiliary switches may usually be opened by hand to stop the ringing of the alarm bell and are generally s'o arranged that when opened by hand the closing of the'circuit breaker automatically resets them in position to again close the alarm circuit in case the circuit breaker again opens. Since the auxiliary switches are usually near live parts of the circuit breakers, their manipulation by hand is dangerous, particularly where the potential of the circuit is as high as 1200 volts.

In railway work it is almost universal practice to connect in series with every circuit breaker a switch which is to be opened after the circuit breaker opens, and is not closed until the circuit breaker has been closed, and under no circumstances is the switch left closed while the circuit breaker is open.

The obj eet of my invention is to provide a circuit controlling device in which a signal will be given when the circuit is opened antomatically and in which the necessary and customary manipulation of the switch and circuit breaker will control the signal or alarm circuit in the desired manner, so that it is unnecessary for the attendant at any time to touch auxiliary switches or other devices which are dangerously near the live parts of the circuit breaker or switch.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 20, 1910.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 562,381.

In carrying out my invention, where a circuit breaker and a switch connected in series are used, the circuit breaker is provided with an auxiliary switch in the alarm circuit and closed by the opening'of the circuit breaker, while in series with this auxiliary switch is a second auxiliary switch operated by the main switch and which closes the alarm circuit only when the main switch is closed. The alarm circuit is therefore closed only when the circuit breaker is open and the main switch is closed, but the opening of the main switch opens the alarm circuit, which then remains open. while the circuit breaker is being closed, and is not again closed until the main switch is closed, so that the only time the alarm is given is when the circuit breaker opens, the alarm being stopped simply by opening the main switch in the customary manner.

My invention will best be understood in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, merely for purposes of illustration, one of the various 'forms in which I the invention may be embodied and in which portions of the device are shown in section to illustrate more clearly the details of construction.

In the'particular arrangement shown in the drawing, suitable panel or base 1 of slate, marble, or other suitable insulating material supports two circuit controlling devices connected in series. In the specific arrangement shown, one of the circuit controlling devices is a circuit breaker of a wellknown type comprising a movable contact arm 2 which carries the movable contact and is actuated by means of a handle 3. The other circuit controlling device is a main switch having a blade 1 mounted to cooperate with a contact clip of the usual form and actuated by means of a handle 5. The main switch and the circuit breaker are connected in series by means of a suitable bar or connection 6. Upon the occurence of an overload in the circuit, the circuit breaker will open automatically, whereupon the station. operator opens the main switch and then. closes the circuit breaker, after which he closes the circuit by closing the main switch, so that in case the overload is still on, the circuit breaker will be free to open the moment the circuit is closed by the main switch.

It is desirable that a signal or alarm be given in case the circuit breaker opens and I therefore provide a signal or alarm circuit comprising some suitable source of current such as a battery 7 connected in series to an electroresponsive signal or alarm device such as an alarm bell 8 and connect in series in the alarm or signal-circuit two control switches which are actuated by the circuit controlling devices. The signal circuit is closed and the signaling device becomes operative only when both control switches are closed, although the electroresponsive signal device could be constructed to re spond only in case the signaling circuit is open, in which case the two control switches would be so arranged that the signal circuit would always be closed except when the circuit breaker opens. In most cases the preferable arrangement is that which I have shown, and in which the signal or alarm bell is actuated when the signal circuit is closed.

Various forms of controlling switches may be used and merely for purposes of illustration, I have shown one control switch actuated by the circuit breaker and comprising two stationary contacts 9 mounted on the panel 1 in a position to be bridged by a movable bridging contact 10 carried by an actuating member 11 which is slidably mounted in a suitable support 12 in the panel 1. The actuating member 11 is of such a length and is so mounted that when the circuit breaker is closed, as shown in the drawing, the end of the actuating member 11 is engaged by the movable contact member 20f the circuit breaker and the control switch is held open. The actuating member 11 is biased in any suitable manner to move in a direction to close the switch, the preferred construction being that shown in the drawing, in which a spring mounted in the member 12 cooperates with the actuating member 11 and tends to close the controlling switch.

The control switch above described and controlled by the circuit breaker is connected in the signal circuit in series with a second control switch biased to the open position and controlled by the main switch. In the particular device shown in the draw ing, the second control switch comprises fixed contacts 13, cooperating with a bridg ing contact 14 mounted upon an actuating member 15 which is slidably mounted in a suitable member 16 and is biased to the open position by some suitable means such as a spring. Asshown in the drawing, the parts are so arranged that when the main switch is closed, the second control switch is held closed on account of the main switch blade 4 engaging the end of the actuating member 15 of the control switch.

The operation of the device is as follows: IVhen the parts are in the position shown in the drawing, the main circuit is closed and the signal circuit is open at the first controlling switch which is actuated by the circuit breaker, but if the circuit breaker opens, the bridging contact Not the first control switch is carried into engagement with the stationary contact 9 and thereby the signal circuit is closed, causing the alarm hell 8 to ring. The operator then opens the main s itch by means of the handle 5 and as the switch blade at swings out of the switch clips the second control switch is opened by its spring, whereupon the signal circuit is opened and the alarm bell stops ringing. lVhile the main switch is open the operator closes the circuit breaker and as the movable contact member 2 of the circuit breaker swings into the position shown in the drawings, the bridging contact 10 is forced away from the stationary contacts 9 and the controlling switch is opened. After the circuit breaker is closed, the operatorcloses the main switch and thereby forces the bridging contact 14 of the second controlling switch into engagement with the stationary contacts 13, but the alarm hell does not ring because the first controlling switch is open. If the operator lea vcs the main switch closed after the circuit breaker opens, the alarm bell continues to ring as long as the circuit breaker is open, and if he attempts to close the main switch while the circuit breaker is open, the alarm bell will ring and thereby notify him that the circuit controlling devices have not been closed in the proper sequence.

My invention may be embodied in many other forms than that shown and I do not desire to limit myself to the precise arrangement disclosed, but intend to cover by the appended claims all changes and modifications within the scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 15,-

1. The combination with two circuit controlling devices connected in series, of a signal, means for actuating said signal in response to the opening of one of said devices, and means responsive to the opening of the other device for rendering said signal inoperative.

2. The combination with two circuit controlling devices connected in series, of an electrically actuated signal, a signal-circuit connected thereto, means controlled by one of said devices whereby said device in opening closes said signal circuit, and means controlled by the other of said devices to open said signal circuit as said other device opens.

3. The combination with two circuit controlling devices connected in series, of a signal circuit, a signal connected to said signal circuit and actuated in response to the closing thereof, and two control switches connected in series in said signal circuit and controlled by said devices to close said sig nal circuit one of said devices opens and to open said signal circuit as the other device opens.

l. The combination with two circuit controlling devices connected in series, of a signal circuit, an electroresponsive signal in said circuit actuated by the closing of said circuit, a control switch in said circuit biased to close said circuit and held open by one of said devices when said device is closed, and a second control switch in said signal circuit biased to open said circuit and normally held closed by the second controlling device when said second device is closed.-

5. The combination with a switch and a circuit breaker connected in series, of a control switch biased to the closed position and held open by said circuit breakerwhen the circuit breaker is closed, a second control switch biased to open and held closed by said main switch when said main switch is closed, an electroresponsive signal, and a signal circuit connected to said signal through both said controlling switches in series.

6. The combination with a main switch and a circuit breaker connected in series, of

an electroresponsive'signal, a signal circuit 11 connected to said signal, a control switch in said signal circuit comprising an actuating member biased to close said switch and mounted in position to be engaged by said circuit breaker during the closing movement thereof and thereby moved to open said switch, a second control switch connected in said signal circuit in series with the first control switch and biased to open and comprising an actuating member mounted in posit-ion to be engaged by said main switch and thereby forced into position to close said second control switch as said main switch is closed.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of May, 1910.

JONATHAN E WOODBRIDGE. Witnesses:

E. A. RICHARDS, CHAS. S. NORTiICUTT. 

